Collaborations and influencers

Just say what you mean: You want free things

One of my least favorite words right now is “collaboration.”

I’m all for collaboration in product design and art pieces. What I’m not for is when collaboration is co-opted to replace other words. I’ve read far too many content creator pitches and company pitches for collaboration projects. It’s the new coy way of saying, “I want you to give me something for free.” And what you get in return is almost never equal in value.

To me, collaborations benefit people and companies in both directions. Maybe they share a similar audience or have complementary styles. It does not mean that someone gives you a product for free, and you post photos of it (with a fee, of course). That’s influencer marketing.